The present invention relates to improvements in electric starters, such as are used to start up an internal combustion engine.
Devices of the type in question generally comprise an electric motor, the armature windings of which are located within a housing of magnetic material to which are attached the pole shoes and field cores. The motor housing is secured at one end to a drive housing which is provided with means whereby the starter is secured to the engine, and at the other end of a commutator housing which carries one end bearing of the motor shaft. These parts have to be rigidly secured together and this is usually done by internal rods.
There are various disadvantages in this type of starter. In the first place the production cost is high, both in terms of the cost of manufacture of the separate items and in terms of ease of assembly. Provision must be made for adjustment of the longitudinal position of the starter pinion. Finally the brushes cannot usually be replaced without removing the starter from the engine.